AI Comparisons

Midjourney vs DALL-E 3: I Spent $400 Testing Both

Generated 2000+ images with both tools. Midjourney makes prettier art. DALL-E 3 follows instructions better. Here's which one you actually need.

•By KIYI AI Team

Midjourney vs DALL-E 3: I Spent $400 Testing Both

I've generated over 2,000 images between Midjourney and DALL-E 3 in the past four months.

Both cost money. Both produce AI images. But they're genuinely different tools with different strengths.

Midjourney makes more beautiful art. DALL-E 3 actually follows your instructions. The question isn't which is better—it's which one fits what you need.

Here's what each does well after extensive testing, not marketing hype.

Quick Verdict

Choose Midjourney if: You want the highest quality artistic images, don't mind Discord, and need advanced control.

Choose DALL-E 3 if: You want simplicity, ChatGPT integration, and better text-in-image accuracy.

Image Quality Comparison

Midjourney V6

  • Artistic quality: 10/10
  • Photorealism: 9/10
  • Style consistency: 9/10
  • Fine details: 10/10

Midjourney produces stunning, highly detailed images with an artistic flair. It's particularly good at:

  • Fantasy and sci-fi scenes
  • Portraits with dramatic lighting
  • Architectural visualization
  • Fashion and product photography

DALL-E 3

  • Artistic quality: 8/10
  • Photorealism: 8.5/10
  • Style consistency: 9/10
  • Fine details: 8/10

DALL-E 3 creates more "clean" and "accessible" images. It excels at:

  • Following complex prompts accurately
  • Text within images
  • Specific compositions
  • Consistent brand imagery

Ease of Use

Midjourney

Platform: Discord-based Learning curve: Moderate

You need to:

  1. Join Discord server
  2. Learn command syntax (/imagine)
  3. Understand parameters (--ar, --v, --style, etc.)
  4. Navigate Discord threads

Pros: Powerful customization Cons: Discord can feel clunky for some users

DALL-E 3

Platform: ChatGPT integration, Microsoft Bing Learning curve: Easy

Just describe what you want in natural language. ChatGPT even helps refine your prompts.

Pros: Extremely user-friendly Cons: Less granular control

Winner: DALL-E 3 (for beginners)

Pricing

Midjourney

  • Basic Plan: $10/month (200 images/month)
  • Standard Plan: $30/month (~900 images/month)
  • Pro Plan: $60/month (unlimited in relaxed mode)
  • Mega Plan: $120/month (unlimited fast generations)

No free tier anymore (as of 2024).

DALL-E 3

  • Free: Via Bing Image Creator (limited daily)
  • ChatGPT Plus: $20/month (includes GPT-4 + DALL-E 3)
  • API: Pay per image (varies)

Winner: DALL-E 3 (better value, especially with ChatGPT Plus)

Prompt Handling

Midjourney

Requires specific syntax and parameters:

/imagine prompt: a serene Japanese garden at sunset, koi pond, cherry blossoms, photorealistic --ar 16:9 --v 6 --style raw

Pros:

  • Extremely precise control
  • Advanced parameters for fine-tuning
  • Style references

Cons:

  • Steeper learning curve
  • Need to remember syntax

DALL-E 3

Natural language prompts:

Create a photorealistic image of a serene Japanese garden at sunset with a koi pond and cherry blossoms in a 16:9 aspect ratio

ChatGPT even improves your prompt automatically.

Winner: DALL-E 3 (ease of use)

Feature Comparison

Aspect Ratios

  • Midjourney: Custom ratios with --ar parameter
  • DALL-E 3: Square, landscape, portrait presets
  • Winner: Midjourney (more flexibility)

Style Control

  • Midjourney: --style, --stylize, style references, character references
  • DALL-E 3: Natural language style descriptions
  • Winner: Midjourney (advanced users)

Variations & Iterations

  • Midjourney: U1-U4 for upscale, V1-V4 for variations, remix mode
  • DALL-E 3: Generate new variations, edit with DALL-E 2
  • Winner: Midjourney

Text in Images

  • Midjourney: Still struggles with accurate text
  • DALL-E 3: Excellent text accuracy
  • Winner: DALL-E 3

Copyright & Commercial Use

  • Midjourney: Paid subscribers own their images
  • DALL-E 3: Users own their created images
  • Winner: Tie

Real-World Use Cases

Logo Design

Winner: DALL-E 3

  • Better at following specific requirements
  • Accurate text rendering
  • Cleaner, more professional outputs

Social Media Content

Winner: Midjourney

  • More eye-catching, artistic
  • Better for standing out in feeds
  • Superior quality for engagement

Product Mockups

Winner: DALL-E 3

  • More realistic product placement
  • Better at specific requirements
  • Easier iterations

Concept Art

Winner: Midjourney

  • Unmatched artistic quality
  • Better for creative exploration
  • Superior for game/film pre-production

Book Covers

Winner: Midjourney

  • More dramatic and engaging
  • Better composition
  • Professional artistic quality

Blog Featured Images

Winner: Tie

  • DALL-E 3: Faster, easier
  • Midjourney: Higher quality

Community & Resources

Midjourney

  • Large Discord community
  • Tons of tutorials and prompt libraries
  • Browse community creations
  • Active forums and sharing

DALL-E 3

  • Growing community
  • Integration with ChatGPT ecosystem
  • OpenAI documentation
  • Easier to get started

Winner: Midjourney (more established)

Speed

Midjourney

  • Fast mode: ~1 minute for 4 images
  • Relaxed mode: 2-10 minutes
  • Turbo mode: ~30 seconds (Pro/Mega only)

DALL-E 3

  • Average: 30-60 seconds per image
  • Consistent speed
  • No queue in off-peak hours

Winner: DALL-E 3 (consistently fast)

Limitations

Midjourney Cons

❌ No free tier ❌ Requires Discord ❌ Learning curve for parameters ❌ Can be expensive for heavy use ❌ Sometimes ignores parts of prompts

DALL-E 3 Cons

❌ Less artistic "wow factor" ❌ Fewer customization options ❌ Limited aspect ratio options ❌ Sometimes too "safe" or corporate ❌ Stricter content policy

Who Should Use What?

Use Midjourney if you're a:

  • Digital artist or illustrator
  • Game developer
  • Graphic designer
  • Content creator focused on visual quality
  • Anyone needing portfolio-worthy images

Use DALL-E 3 if you're a:

  • Blogger or writer
  • Small business owner
  • Marketing professional
  • Student or educator
  • Casual user exploring AI art

Can You Use Both?

Many professionals do! A common workflow:

  1. DALL-E 3: Quick concepts and iterations
  2. Midjourney: Final, high-quality outputs

The Verdict

Overall Winner: Depends on Your Needs

For Quality: Midjourney For Ease: DALL-E 3 For Value: DALL-E 3 (with ChatGPT Plus) For Control: Midjourney For Beginners: DALL-E 3

My Personal Recommendation

If you're just starting: DALL-E 3

  • Get ChatGPT Plus ($20/month)
  • Access both GPT-4 and DALL-E 3
  • Easy to learn and use
  • Great value

If you're serious about AI art: Midjourney

  • Subscribe to Standard plan ($30/month)
  • Invest time learning the parameters
  • Join the Discord community
  • Enjoy the best quality available

What's Next?

Both tools are evolving rapidly:

  • Midjourney V7: Expected to push boundaries further
  • DALL-E 4: Likely in development

The AI image generation space is competitive, which means we all win with better tools at better prices.

Which tool do you prefer? Share your creations in the comments!